Hero in Our Midst
by WolfKael
Summary: Link's daughter, Saria (OOT Reference! I'm so creative!...Not.) muses over how people treat her father, the Mayor of Ordon. Why do soldiers seem so nervous around the head of a tiny farming village? Why has Queen Zelda summoned him to her castle? What are the older villagers not telling her about her dad! T for possible mentions of alcohol in later chapters.
1. Summons

Saria absentmindedly pats the old mare's silvery mane as she watches the soldiers from Castletown speak with her father. They come every once in a while, usually escorting merchants, and she has always noticed something peculiar.

They are afraid of him.

They always use the most respectful tones and take great care not to anger the affable chief of Ordon Village. She just can't understand what they're so afraid of. Her father isn't easily angered, and they're Hyrulian soldiers – surely they can't be afraid of a farmhand!

She'd asked her mother, Ilia, about it and all she'd gotten was a cryptic smile.

"It's respect too," she'd smiled, continuing to weave the wicker bassinet for her next child.

She watches them bow and leave before she jogs over to where her father sits on the porch. His dark blond hair has a few gray strands – from a life of exertion, Ilia had once said. Saria isn't exactly sure of what she meant by that, but all of the villagers had agreed. She knows that they aren't telling her something, and it infuriates her even as she sits on her steps, waiting to ask him what the soldiers had come for.

"Are you going?" her mother asks, leaning against a wooden pillar, "She _has_ summoned you, after all."

He sighs, "I know."

"_She_? Who?" Saria questions, glancing rapidly back-and-forth between the two, "Going where?"

He laughs, "I've been summoned to the castle by Queen Zelda," he explains.

"What for?"

"It'll only be for a week or so," Ilia interjects, "I'll be fine, Link," she strokes her distended stomach, "We still have a month. Not only that, but we have my dad, Rusl, and Uli. I can live without you for a week."

He smiles gently, defeated, and stands, "I suppose I'll start packing then."

"Are you taking Epona?" Saria asks with a pout, knowing that they had purposely avoided her question.

"No," he sighs, patting the mare's nose affectionately, "She's tired. No more charging across all of Hyrule for her. She's earned a peaceful life at the ranch. I'll take Ganni," he replied. Ganni was the older of Epona's offspring, a palomino like his mother, and just as big.

"Link, just promise me one thing," Ilia began, but he pressed a finger to her lips with a smirk.

"Careful. Remember what happened the last time you said that?" his hand falls before he pulls her into a tight embrace, "I'll come home safely."

Saria watches as he disappears into the house, "I'll go get Ganni," she mutters, tromping away. The stable is attached to the goat barn, and she has to dodge a goat running hastily away from Fado. She can't help but snort – honestly, that man and his goats! It's a miracle that someone else hasn't been permanently installed up there to keep an eye on things.

"Saria? What are you up to?"

A grin splits her face, "Uncle Colin!"

He stands in the doorway, his blond hair cropped shorter than it had been in his youth, and his blue eyes shining with amusement. A sword is strapped to his back – fitting for the town's best swordsman. Rusl, she's been told, had once held the title, but with his age, he was no match for his son.

"Hey," he grins back, "Why're you getting Ganni? He's a bit big for you, kiddo."

She pouts playfully, "I'm not a little kid; I'm already sixteen."

"Right. Hey, still a few more years until you'd be world-saving age," he teases.

Saria can't help but sigh at that comment. It wasn't an unusual one in town, she had to admit, and it was usually associated with sly glances at her dad, "I'm getting him for Dad; apparently he's been summoned by the queen."

"Again? What is it this time? Gorons and Zoras arguing again?"

She heaves the saddle onto the steed, "They didn't say why. And why would they ask my dad to help with the Gorons and Zoras?"

Colin shifts nervously, "He's…friendly with them, and Renado was on a month-long sabbatical."

She eyes him skeptically, but turns away to tighten the strap, "Well, it must be something along those lines. I mean, if she wanted a swordsman, she would've asked the best one in Ordon!"

He lets out a bark of laughter, "Oh, she did," he stops suddenly, as though he'd said too much.

"My dad isn't better than you," she insists, "I doubt he's really even held a sword."

All laughter falls from Colin's face, frightening her for a second, "Oh, he's done _a lot_ more than that," he steps closer and ruffles her hair, "_trust me_."

She waits in stunned silence until he grins again.

"Anyway, I guess you should probably get Ganni to him – he's probably packed already. He doesn't waste time. Get going!"


	2. What They've Seen

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Legend of Zelda or any branch thereof! Thank you for being patient for your updates! Just some fun with Telma. ;)**

* * *

A crowd is gathered around the bar, listening to the keep's tale. She's a sturdy woman with a flirtatious sparkle in her eye, and a teasing smile. She doles out the drinks as she speaks, "She couldn't remember even her name –"

Saria watches the orange pulp in her own cup swirl around from beneath her hood, not listening. It's the eighth day since her father left, but word had come from the palace that he would be staying a little longer. Her mother had refused to explain further, but she hadn't seemed worried.

So she'd come to Castletown.

She'd been able to sneak in with a group of merchants who didn't recognize her as the mayor's daughter. They'd encountered a few weak monsters. It was mysterious, she muses, taking a sip; Epona hadn't seemed worried at all at the sight of the monsters. In fact, she'd lashed out with her hooves and one of the few hired guards with the wagon had sworn on his sister's life that she'd been trained like a warhorse; he even proved it, showing her that the horse could be directed with only his knees, in order to keep the hands free. Though it'd taken some practice, she could now use a bow on the mare's back.

She'd heard Rusl speak of Telma - the owner of the tavern - before, and after paying for Epona's stable, had been able to find the bar after some asking around. All of the citizens assumed she was a daughter searching for a drunken father to drag him home. She resists the urge to snort.

"The King Bulbin stalked across the bridge," Telma relays, "I turned to him and said, 'You see what that means? You'll have to deal with that thing!' He didn't look worried at all. Now, as I said, he was a quiet lad, so I could barely hear him say, 'I've defeated him once, I can do it again.' His eyes were calm and cold. When we reached to wagons, I told the girl, 'This swordsman of ours has great eyes, honey. They're proud and wild…like a feral beast. We need a beast right now, to keep the true ones at bay.' And so, it didn't take us long to reach the bridge. And when he did, that monster made a point of showing him some thick shields on his arms. I realized he'd been telling the truth – they _had_ fought before. The swordsman rode onto the bridge without hesitation, but instead of drawing his sword, he removed his bow from his pack and notched an arrow," Even Saria has stopped in her musings to listen to the story. She leaned over the bar.

"And so," Telma whispered conspiratorially, "the joust began. The King Bulbin upon his great boar, and the hero soaring upon the back of his horse; they charged at each other, and he lifted his bow. He hardly had to aim. He let the arrow fly, and it struck true – with a clap of thunder!"

"Bomb arrows, huh?" A man on the other side of the counter smirked into his mug, "Doesn't pull his punches, does he?"

"The Bulbin remained on his mount, and they turned to face each other again. A second time, a second thunderclap. The hero remained unscathed. His eyes were still cold and focused. The third time, the boar careened out of control, sending its master over the edge. I could see the key glint in the air, and the hero caught it with ease. His prize was a key to Karkariko's gate. We continued on," her voice began to raise, "through hoards of bulbins with fiery arrows. His sword glowed coldly as he cut through them. They would fire into the wagon, setting it alight, but then a cool breeze – like the breath of Farore herself! – would snuff it out. In the blink of an eye, he would draw his bow and fire, shooting down a bird that tried to divert our path. The bulbins fell in bloody waves with each swing of his sword! He dismounted and opened Karkariko's gate, allowing us through while he dealt with any would-be pursuers. I remember when he came into town after us," her eyes are distant, and also somehow sad, her voice is quiet, "I could see him at a spring before he came to greet us. There were children there in Karkariko who looked up to him, and I don't think he wanted them to see. For anyone to see. His green tunic was splattered with blood, and he had a nasty cut on his shoulder from a flaming arrow. The spring, though, seemed to wash it all away, leaving him without a stain. Even as I watched, the tunic was repaired, the tears and cuts suddenly gone, as though never there," the entire tavern has gone quiet, and Saria realizes that she is holding her breath.

"So you've met…_him_," a man breathes, "The Hero of the Twilight. The one who saved us. The man chosen by The Goddesses."

The barkeep nods in silence, eliciting a quiet gasp from the group.

"…What does he look like?" Saria hardly recognizes her own voice.

"I can't tell you," Telma replies gently, "He's a very private man. I won't describe him or name him. Any of you could have passed him here in Castletown or while travelling about. He wasn't a hero for the glory. All he wanted to do was to protect those he cared about. He's earned his rest. His peace and quiet. A life with his family. It's hard to believe," she mutters, "That it's been eighteen years," she looks up from the bar and then glances at the clock, "Don't you people have work in the morning? Bar's closing. Off with you!"

They scramble for the door, but Saria remains seated until they're alone. Telma turns to her, her hands on her hips, "It's way past your bedtime, kiddo," she remarks.

"I'm told you know Rusl?"

Telma's eyes widen, "Din's Fire! Are you from…Ordon?"

Saria pulls her hood down, "I figured you might be able to –" She's pulled into a hug.

"Oh, you must be Saria! You look so much like your mom when I first met her. Your dad was telling me about you and – _Oh!_" She takes her shoulders and holds her away, "He's going to be _mad _at _you_ for coming across the field. You didn't get hurt, did you?!"

"I'm fine, Telma," she assuages, "…and my dad was here?"

"Yeah, a few nights ago, grumbling about his stay here being extended," she chuckles, "he was promised it'd be only a week, but…well…"

"…why would Queen Zelda summon my dad anyway?" She asks.

She looks startled – very briefly – before resuming her smile, "Well, it's not unusual for Queens to discuss affairs with the mayors of far-off towns on occasion. They're probably discussing _trade_," she grimaces, but it quickly vanishes, "So, how's your mom? Link was saying that she's expecting again? It's been a long time since she got this far along in the pregnancy," a flicker of pain in her face, "Well?"

"She's doing just fine. Uli's got her confined to the bed, though," Saria tries to repress a smile, "It's driving Mom crazy."

Telma laughs heartily, "Yeah. Uli must be able to teach mules and rocks a lesson," she snorts, "Ilia is deceptively stubborn," she shakes her head, "So I assume you're here to see your dad?"

Saria stares at the floor, "I'm just…curious. Besides," she looks up brightly, "I've always wanted to see Castletown, so why not-?"

"Spy on your father?" Telma cuts blandly, earning a sheepish smile, "Do you have a place to stay?"

"…No," Saria admits, "I used most of my money to get a stable for Epona."

Telma shakes her head, "Well, I suppose you can stay with me. I can't leave Link and Ilia's little girl in the cold, now can I?" She winks with a smirk, "Do you have your stuff?"

Saria shrugs her small pack over her shoulder, muttering, "I'm not a little girl. I'm an adult!" and Telma leads her into the back after locking the tavern door.

"I'd give you the bed, but I need my beauty rest. I'll get some blankets for you."

Saria thanks her and hangs her cloak on a peg beside the fireplace. She catches her reflection in the mirror. She _does_ look like her mother, with light brown hair and a snub nose, but…

"You've got your father's eyes," Telma smiles, "In part, anyway. But I suppose that if your eyes had seen everything his have, they'd be identical pairs. That's the thing about eyes," she dumps a pile of blankets on the rug before the hearth, "It's all about what they've seen."

"And what have my dad's eyes seen?"

"More darkness than anyone. But more light too," she replies, hardly audible, "all hidden in the twilight."


End file.
